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Being a Golden Hawk means more than just cheering on our (really good) varsity teams – it means being a student who cares about your community, who works hard in the classroom, and who takes advantage of all the learning opportunities that can happen outside the classroom, too.

Wilfrid Laurier University’s student club, International Students Overcoming War (ISOW), is partnering with Najda Now, a Kitchener organization, to bring the Syria Film Festival: Toronto (SYFF) to Laurier’s Waterloo campus Nov. 17-19.

SYFF aims to showcase the aspirations and struggles of Syrians while engaging audiences on the topics of social justice, human rights and global citizenship. The festival also supports young artists and filmmakers in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) whose works enrich the GTA’s vibrant multicultural character.

Yellow, a film exclusive to the festival at Laurier, will be shown on Nov. 19 at 8:30 p.m., followed by a discussion with the filmmaker, Wael Saad Al Deen. Al Deen is travelling from Turkey to participate in the event.

“Hosting the Syria Film Festival at Laurier provides the opportunity for students and community members to learn more about the realities of conflict in Syria as well as its culture and art,” says Gavin Brockett, ISOW faculty liaison and associate professor in Laurier’s departments of History and Religion and Culture.

Doors open at 6 p.m. each night and all films will be screened in the main auditorium of Lazaridis Hall on University Avenue. There is no charge for Laurier students to attend; tickets are $10 each for community members per night or $25 in advance for the weekend (online only) and can be purchased from TicketScene.ca or at the door.

Friday, Nov. 17:

Opening reception, 6 p.m.

Lina, 6:25 p.m.

City of Ghosts, 6:40 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 18:

Mona, 6:20 p.m.

The Boy and the Sea, 6:35 p.m.

The Island of All Together, 6:45 p.m.

War in Peace, 7:40 p.m.

Watani: My Homeland, 8 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 19:

Luban, 6:20 p.m.

One Day in Aleppo, 6:35 p.m.

Lost in Lebanon, 7:05 p.m.

Yellow, 8:30 p.m., followed by a discussion with filmmaker Wael Saad Al Deen.

Questions about the film festival may be directed to ISOW at isow@wlu.ca.